Well, I have no reason as of yet to go to town on Hughes. It sounded like a honest go at the problem getting off on the wrong foot because bloody State department politicos don't like to listen to MENA expertise and like their own self-dealing fantasy stories.

Whether she can make the jump intellectually to other culture will depend on her ability to internalize certain major precepts so that she won't make clueless gaffes while going through her scripted performance. More than just listening to specialists but actually learning something along the way.

Secondarily, public & cultural diplomacy policy cannot be built on any one person, however talented, it needs to be an institutional strategy. It's not very expensive to do the right way either. One more good example on how Congress has cost us a great deal in order to save a few pennies at State ( West Virginia needs another Coast Guard/Navy training station don't you know)